Cabana structure

ABSTRACT

A portable and collapsible cabana structure is provided to enable ease of carrying to the beach or pool site, ease of assembly and ease of collapse, after use, to again enable ease of portability. The main body of the cabana structure is provided by three rectangular panels, the first of which is generally vertical, downwardly from approximately half to two-thirds of the height of the assembled cabana, to the ground, at the rear thereof; the second rectangular panel slopes upwardly and forwardly of the cabana from the first panel toward the front of the cabana; and, the third rectangular panel extends generally horizontally from the front of the second panel toward the front of the cabana. Viewing the structure from the front of the cabana, the left and right sides thereof are each made up of three triangular panels, the middle panel of which enables the admission to the cabana of air and light. To provide structural efficacy to each of the above-mentioned panels, a plurality of critical stiffening poles fit securely in channels and pockets provided by the panels, which are usually made of sheet plastic or synthetic material.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

[0001] This invention relates generally to portable and collapsiblebeach and/or pool-side cabana huts, and more particularly to such hutswhich provide tautness for the sides thereof and yet which can becollapsed for providing portability and ease of assembly.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[0002] It is common to think of a cabana or a cabana hut as a relativelypermanent structure found normally at pool and beach clubs. Suchpermanent structures offer the ability of the user to sit or lie down atthe beach, camping or at a pool. With respect to sitting or lying downin collapsible or portable structures, other than a tent-like structure,no existing portable structures have the structural ability toeffectively provide the option of use on a beach, camping, at a picnicor at pool-side, as does the present invention.

OBJECTS AND SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0003] Accordingly, a primary object of the present invention is toprovide a structurally efficacious cabana, which is collapsible andthereby portable;

[0004] A further and more particular object is to provide a collapsibleand portable cabana structure, which is light-weight and easy toassemble and disassemble; and

[0005] A still further object of the present invention is to provide aportable and collapsible cabana which presents the capability of beinglarge enough in size to provide room for two users to do those thingscommonly done at the beach, camping, picnic and at pool-side, and yetwhich is sturdy enough to withstand beach winds and other like beachhazzards.

[0006] These and other objects of the present invention are provided ina portable, easily assembled and disassembled structure which isgenerally comprised of nine panels, the first three of which are largerthan the others and rectangular in shape to form in sequence the back,the sloping top and the top front of the cabana structure. The other sixpanels are triangular in shape and three are fully connected to theedges at the left side of the aforementioned three rectangular panels;and the other three are at the right side edges, also fully connected tothe first three rectangular panels. The six triangular panels areisosceles triangles and connected to the adjacent triangular panel,fully along the edge of one of the two equal sides. The point connectingthe two equal sides of each triangle are coincident, for each triangle,with the two other triangular panels, at which point there is a meansfor anchoring the cabana in the sand or grass. Stakes are also used toanchor the structure at the two back corners of the cabana. The middletriangular panel on each side of the structure is made of the sameplastic or synthetic light-weight material envisioned for the wholestructure, and includes small openings to let in air and light. Thestructure of the cabana of the present invention is assembled by meansof the various channels provided on the cabana inside of thelight-weight plastic or synthetic material forming the “skin” of thecabana. Into such channels are fitted poles, and/or other stiffeners,some or all of which are movable and/or removable to disassemble thecabana for placement in a carrying bag, also made of light-weightplastic or synthetic material. Critically, at least two stiffeners areprovided to make the entire structure taut and sturdy by supporting andexpanding the triangular panel sides. Channels may be non-elongatedloops, and the two critical stiffeners end in pockets.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0007] Other objects, features and advantages of the present inventionwill become apparent by reference to the following detailed descriptionof the preferred, but nonetheless illustrative, embodiment of thepresent invention, with alternatives and with reference to theaccompanying drawings, wherein:

[0008]FIG. 1 is an isometric view of a carrying bag for the disassembledcabana structure;

[0009]FIG. 2 is an exploded view of the carrying bag and thedisassembled structure of the cabana;

[0010]FIG. 3 shows the unfolding of the disassembled cabana, as thefirst step for assembly thereof;

[0011]FIG. 4 shows the second step of unfolding, following the FIG. 3unfolding step, for assembling the cabana for use;

[0012]FIG. 5 shows one side of the cabana structure using one set ofthree triangular panels, further advancing toward complete assembly;

[0013]FIG. 6 shows the complete expansion step for the rectangularpanels and the six side triangular panels;

[0014]FIG. 7 is a sectional view taken along the line 7-7 of FIG. 6 andshowing the taut-providing critical stiffening poles being placed intochannels to give efficacy to the portable cabana, when it is assembled;

[0015]FIG. 8 shows the fully assembled cabana with both critical polesin place, adjacent the side triangular panels of the structure;

[0016]FIG. 9 shows the detail of the critical pole structure andassembly at one side of the collapsible cabana;

[0017]FIG. 10 is a sectional view, taken along the line 10-10 of FIG. 9,showing a representative connecting and stiffening structure for theintersection of the rectangular with triangular panels of the cabana;

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED, ILLUSTRATIVE AND REPRESENTATIVEEMBODIMENT OF THE PRESENT INVENTION

[0018] Referring to the drawings, the carrying bag 10 for a cabanastructure according to the present invension is shown in FIG. 1, asincluding a handle 12 or other convenient means for carrying thedisassembled cabana.

[0019]FIG. 2 shows the carrying bag 10, in an exploded view, withrespect to the cabana structure generally designated 14. Criticalstiffening poles 16 are elongated, with a female, inside threadedopening defined at one end, and a male outside threaded surface at theother end. Sleeves 18 are usually of a flexible material such as plasticor rubber and are intended to cover (in a press fit) the junction pointbetween two critical stiffening poles 16, as would occur when onestiffening pole is screwed into another. Such a use of criticalstiffening poles 16 and sleeves 18 are shown, particularly in FIG. 7 andFIG. 9, whereby four critical stiffening poles 16, and at least twosleeves 18 are used to provide a tautness and a stability to the entirestructure by use of a side construction, generally designated 20, ateach side of the cabana as is particularly shown in FIG. 6 of thedrawings.

[0020]FIG. 3 illustrates the removed cabana structure, with respect tobag 10, and is to show specifically that the removed structure 10 iscapable of folding and unfolding at its center point generallydesignated 22, with the unfolding or initial assembly step for thecabana structure being in directions shown by arrows 24 in FIG. 3. Theunfolding at center point 22 is facilitated by means of rigid insertstiffening poles 26 (FIG. 4), and the use of skin 28 of the cabanastructure acting as a hinge, between insert stiffening poles 26 at thecenter point.

[0021] Particularly in FIGS. 6, 8 and 9, it may be seen that theassembled cabana structure includes three rectangular panels 30, 32, 34,from front to back of the assembled cabana, each arranged between insertstiffener poles 26. Each of those insert stiffener poles for the longsides of rectangular panels 30, 32, 34 is generally described as in twoinline parts, each part being of approximately equal length. Aspreviously noted, parts of poles 26 extend generally rightwardly andleftwardly in the finished structure, and before assembly, have a spacetherebetween at approximately center point 22. Upon assembly, one of thesteps is to join the two parts of each generally horizontal insertstiffening pole 26 to the other inline part. This is accomplished, alsoas described previously, by reference to the most-forward (in theorientation of the assembled cabana; e.g. FIG. 6) insert stiffening pole26′. That forward pole 26′, in two parts, near center point 22, has afemale threaded end and the other part has a male threaded end. Uponassembly, they are joined by simply grasping the skin 28 covering theinsert pole stiffening area and moving the two parts of pole 26′ tothread one part into the other. Other stiffening poles 26, bordering thelong sides of the rectangular panels, are assembled in the same manner.Of course, the skin 28 is permanently sewn to form channels 27 definedby skin 28. Such channels, as to rectangular panels 30, 32, 34 areformed for holding insert stiffening poles 26 and 26′, two parts of apole in each panel, a first pole at the most forward (cabanaorientation) long side of panel 30, a second pole at the rearward longside of panel 30, a third at the rearward long side of panel 32, and afourth at the bottom-most (see FIG. 6) long side of panel 34, all suchchannels formed by skin 28. In each panel, an important step in theassembly is to join the two parts of each horizontally oriented (seeFIG. 6) insert stiffening pole 26. Such joining is as previouslydescribed by threading one part into the other by the user manipulatingsuch parts by grasping the pole parts through the portion of the skin 28used to form channels 27.

[0022] As was mentioned previously herein, the sides of this cabanaconstruction are made taut, and are provided with a stability forthemselves and the entire structure by means of critical stiffeningpoles 16. Each side construction is made up of three triangular panels,FIG. 4 showing each moved into assembly position in the direction ofarrows 20′ early in the assembly process, and then spread in thedirection of arrow 20″, as shown in FIG. 5. That spreading and theaforementioned tautness and stability are accorded the assembly by meansof the insertion of critical stiffening poles 16, which slide throughchannels 36 in the direction of arrow 38, as shown in FIG. 7 (of course,channels 36 may also be formed as loops, or completely foreshortenedchannels). Sleeves 18, which are shown in FIG. 2, as well as FIG. 7, areflexible, and yet sturdy enough, to align all four critical stiffeningpoles 16, for each side construction by press-fitting those poles 16 forholding end to end, four such poles in a row for each side. Anotherconstruction would be similar to the end to end threaded joining ofinsert stiffener poles 26. In any event, the ends of the four polealignment, for each side construction, conveniently fit in sewn pockets40 clearly shown in FIG. 7. The triangular panels, designed from bottomto top 42, 44, 46, made from skin 28, are joined by channels 48 intowhich are permanently sewn the same type of insert stiffener poles 26 aswere used at the juncture of rectangular panels. As is shown clearly inFIG. 7, the lowermost portion of insert stiffener poles 26 are exposedthrough a circular cutout 29 of skin 28. The purpose of cutout 29 is toenable even easier manipulation of poles 26, for instance whenassembling or disassembling the cabana, simply by touching pole 26 incutout 29 and lifting it out of the pocket 31 for the four poles 26 forthat side. Similarly, FIG. 9 shows an alternative for cutout 29 wherebypoles 26 protrude below channels 48 sewn at various places on the skin28 of the cabana. This also gives access for removal of poles 26 on eachside from the four holding channels provided by pocket 31.

[0023] Referring particularly to the enlarged intersection of tworectangular panels with two triangular panels, as shown in FIGS. 9 and10, a right angle double receptor 52, with internal threading at eachend (alternatively) is used to receive insert stiffening poles 26, oneat each end. At least one pole (preferably the lower pole, in theorientation of FIG. 9) is disengaged from each right angle receptor ateach of the four intersections (for each side), again to enable the skin28 to act as a hinge, in order to fold the collapsed cabana assemblyfrom the position in FIG. 4, so that it fits within carrying bag 10.Actually, as shown in FIG. 10, the right angle receptor 52 has one endinternally threaded and one end externally threaded to receive insertstiffening poles 26 at the female end thereof.

[0024] Straps 54, 56 of FIGS. 6, 7 and 8 are used for staking the fourcorners of the cabana to provide even further stability.

[0025] Lastly, alternatively, a further couple of critical stiffeningpoles 16 are usable at the center portion (FIG. 6) of the cabana toenable even more stability and width for the final assembly. In thisevent, two or four critical stiffening poles 16 can be used in line withsleeves 18, as was indicated for the other critical stiffening poles 16of FIG. 9.

[0026] In order to provide a more complete understanding of the presentinvention, a brief set of assembly and disassembly steps are nowprovided. In terms of assembly, the cabana structure stored in carryingbag 10 is removed therefrom, including critical stiffening poles 16 withsleeves 18. The removed structure is opened at approximately itsmidpoint 22 by rotating the two halves of the structure in the directionof arrow 24 in FIG. 3, using the skin 28 material as the hinge for suchrotations. Again, using skin 28 as the hinges, the side panelconstructions 20 are moved in the direction of arrows 20′ of FIG. 4,thereby to provide an inverted “U” structure. The channels 27 sewn intoskin 28 are manipulated with the four top horizontal insert stiffenerpoles 26′, 26 so that insert stiffener pole 26′, and the other insertstiffener poles 26 are joined at approximately midpoint 22. The bottomsof side panels' insert stiffener poles are then manipulated to join withthe bottoms of right angle receptors 52, and the same four poles 26 arethen placed appropriately within the channels 31 at the front bottoms ofsides 20. Most importantly, critical stiffening poles 16 are joined inline with each other and placed through channel 36 for each side 20 ofthe structure, appropriately fitting in pockets 40. This providestautness and strudiness to the entire structure. Stakes may then beplace appropriately through straps 54, 56 to anchor the entirestructure.

[0027] Disassembly for storage and carrying in bag 10 is accomplished byfirst disconnecting critical poles 16 from the sides 20 and then fromeach other, or in the alternative, bent at sleeves 18. Either before orafter that initial disassembly step, stakes through straps 54, 56 areremoved.

[0028] At the sides of the structure, insert stiffener poles are removedfrom pockets 31, and also from right angle double receptors 52, but onlyfrom one bottom end of those receptors. Sides 20 are then folded, firstopposite to the direction of arrow 20″ (FIG. 5) to collapse sides 20, ina direction opposite to arrows 20′ (FIG. 4), after which the remainingstructure is folded at midpoint 22 following disengagement of the partsof poles 26 bordering the rectangular panels. The entire structure andpoles 16 are then placed into carrying bag 10.

[0029] The foregoing provides a complete description and understandingof the cabana structure of the present invention; but the scope of theinvention is to be accorded only by the following claims:

What is claimed is:
 1. A portable and collapsible cabana structureintended for carrying, when collapsed, in a carrying bag, comprising topand back panels and sides, defining a front opening, said panels andsides each being formed by skin; said skin defining channels, throughwhich stiffening poles are placed to provide structural stability, oneof said channels formed with said skin in each of said sides, throughwhich a critical stiffening pole is placed; each of said sides formingwith said skin a separated pair of pockets, into each of which acritical stiffening pole end is placed for purposes of tautness andstability for the entire structure.
 2. A cabana structure according toclaim 1, wherein said top and back panels are generally rectangular inshape and said sides are comprised of triangular panels.
 3. A cabanastructure according to claim 2, wherein said rectangular panels definesewn channels along one of their long sides through each of whichchannels is placed, when said structure is fully assembled, one of saidstiffening poles, in two parts, each part being fixed in line with theother part, for each stiffening pole.
 4. A cabana structure according toclaim 3, wherein at the ends of each of such stiffening poles is a rightangle double receptor, said receptor having two legs arranged at rightangles to each other, with one of said legs in line with said parts andthe other leg being in line with stiffening poles between saidtriangular panels and at the edges of said sides, and affixed thereto.5. A cabana structure according to claim 3, wherein said top and backstiffening poles have said two parts fixed and separable atapproximately the midpoint of the long sides of said rectangles.
 6. Acabana structure according to claim 4, wherein said legs which are inline with said stiffener poles of said sides, are separable from saidstiffener poles of said sides.